K-State Plays LSU in Cayman Islands Classic Championship Wednesday Night

GAME 6

KANSAS STATE (5-0) vs LSU (5-0)

FOURTH ANNUAL CAYMAN ISLANDS CLASSIC / CHAMPIONSHIP

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 >> 6:30 p.m. CT >> John Gray Gym (2,000) >> Grand Cayman, C.I.

TELEVISION

FloHoops / FloHoops App (link here)

Jess Settles (play-by-play)
Scott Warmann (analyst)
Philip Hopwood (producer)

RADIO

K-State Sports Network

Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580

Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 381/SXM App 971

Online: Varsity Network [free] / www.kstatesports.com/watch [free]

Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play)
Stan Weber (analyst)

LIVE STATS

kstatesports.com

caymanislandsclassic.com

TICKETS

caymanislandsclassic/tickets

Tournament Package: $250 (all 12 games)

Booster Package: $125 (just K-State’s 3 games)

COACHES

K-State: Jerome Tang [Charter Oak State College ‘07]

Record at K-State: 5-0/First Year

Career Record: 7-0/First Year

LSU: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]

LSU: Matt McMahon [Appalachian State ‘00]

Record at LSU: 5-0/First Year

Career Record: 159-67/8th Year

K-State: 0-0 [0-0 at LSU]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (Based off the last game)

Kansas State (5-0)

G: #1 Markquis Nowell

G: #5 Cam Carter

F: #11 Keyontae Johnson

F: #35 Nae’Qwan Tomlin

C: #3 David N’Guessan

LSU (5-0)

G: #3 Justice Hill

G: #44 Adam Miller

F: #5 Mwani Wilkinson

F: #12 K.J. Williams

F: #13 Jalen Reed

K-STATE PLAYS LSU IN CAYMAN ISLANDS CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Kansas State (5-0) will play LSU (5-0) in the championship game of the fourth annual Cayman Islands Classic on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 p.m., CT at The John Gray Gymnasium. It will be the first in-season championship game appearance for the Wildcats since winning the 2018 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. Wednesday’s game will air on FloHoops.
K-State has advanced to the championship game after knocking off Rhode Island, 77-57, in the first round on Monday then Nevada, 96-87, in overtime on Tuesday night.
Seniors Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson combined for 57 points, including 14 of the team’s 16 points in overtime, to help lift K-State past Nevada in overtime.
After the Wildcats surrendered a 9-point lead with less than 4 minutes to play to trail 80-78 with 14 seconds left in regulation, Nowell drove the lane and was able to convert on a layup in traffic to force the overtime period with 3.5 seconds remaining. The momentum carried the team in the extra period, as they dominated the game by connecting on 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from the field and making 6 of their 10 free throws.
The 57 combined points by Nowell (29) and Johnson (28) were the most by Wildcat teammates since Dean Wade (34) and Kamau Stokes (23) also combined for 57 points in win at Iowa State on Dec. 29, 2017. It marked just the 15^th time in school history that two players scored 25 or more points in the same game and the first time since Jacob Pullen (28) and Denis Clemente (25) did it against Xavier on March 25, 2010.
Nowell finished with 29 points on 10-of-20 field goals, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range, and 7-of-9 free throws and 11 assists in 41 minutes to become just second Wildcat with a 25-point/10-assist game in school history and the first since Steve Henson had 26 points and 11 assists vs. Colorado on Jan. 18, 1989. Overall, it was just the fifth 20-point/10-assist game in school history and the first since Angel Rodriguez in 2013.
Johnson set a career-high with 28 points on 8-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 10-of-11 free throws to earn his ninth career 20-point game and his first at K-State.
Johnson is averaging 21 points on 52.4 percent shooting, including 42.9 percent from 3-point range, to go with 7.0 rebounds per game, while Nowell is averaging 19 points and 11.5 assists per game after 2 games at the tournament. Two other Wildcats – Nae’Qwan Tomlin (12.0 ppg.) and David N’Guessan (10.0 ppg.) – also averaging in double figures.
LSU (5-0) advanced to the championship game after defeating Illinois State (77-61) in the first round on Monday and Akron (73-58) in the semifinals on Tuesday. Adam Miller (23) and KJ Williams (19) combined for 42 points in the win over the Zips. Williams and Miller are averaging 26.0 and 18.0 points per game, respectively, after 2 games at the tournament.
This is K-State’s first appearance in the Cayman Islands Classic, however, the Wildcats did win a championship in their last visit to a tournament in the Caribbean at the 2018 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

NEVADA POSTGAME NOTES

Team Notes

K-State moved to 5-0 to start a season for the first time since 2018-19.
K-State is now 164-52 in non-conference play since 2006-07, including 24-22 at neutral sites.
K-State scored a season-high 96 points on a season-best 55 percent shooting (33-of-60), including 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from 3-point range, and connected on 78.6 percent (22-of-28) from the free throw line… The Wildcats hit on 83.3 percent (5-of-6) in overtime… The team connected on better than 50 percent from the field in each half for the first time since North Dakota on Nov. 28, 2021.
The 96 points were the most since also scoring 96 points at Oklahoma State on Jan. 18, 2017.
K-State has had at least 2 double-digit scorers in each of the first 5 games.
K-State is now 72-47 all-time in overtime, including 66-37 in single overtime… The Wildcats have now won 4 of their last 5 overtime games.
The 44 points in the paint were a season high.
K-State had 21 assists on a season-best 33 made field goals.
K-State dominated the glass, holding a 36-22 rebounding advantage… The team snagged 13 offensive rebounds resulting in 16 second-chance points… Johnson and N’Guessan combined for 17 of the 36 rebounds, including 6 of 13 offensive boards.
K-State scored 14 points off 11 turnovers by Nevada, which were both season-lows… It marked the first time that the Wildcats have forced fewer than 20 turnovers…The team has now forced 97 turnovers through its first 5 games, including 20 or more in 4 of 5 games.
The bench was once again productive with 16 points, including 7 by senior Desi Sills.

K-State took 4 more charges on night, and now have 21 charges taken through the first 5 games.

Player Notes

Seniors Keyontae Johnson (28) and Markquis Nowell (29) combined for 57 of the Wildcats’ 96 points… The 57 combined points are the most by two Wildcat teammates since Dean Wade (34) and Kamau Stokes (23) combined for 57 points at Iowa State on Dec. 29, 2017… It marked just the 15^th time in school history that two players scored 25 or more points in the same game and the first time since Jacob Pullen (28) and Denis Clemente (25) did it against Xavier on March 25, 2010.
Nowell finished with 29 points (a K-State high) on 10-of-20 field goals, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range, and 7-of-9 free throws, to go with 11 assists, 2 rebounds in 41 minutes… Nowell became just the fifth Wildcat with a 20-point/10-assist game in school history and the first since Angel Rodriguez had 21 points and 10 assists vs. TCU on March 5, 2013… He was one point shy of the first 30-point/10-assist game in school history… It was his ninth career double-double (points/assists), including his fourth at K-State… It was his 20^th game of at least 20 points, including his fourth at K-State… It was his 10^th game of at least 10 assists, including his fifth such game as a Wildcat.
Johnson collected a career-high 28 points on 8-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 10-of-11 free throws with a game-high 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 41 minutes… It was his ninth career 20-point game and his first at K-State… The 28 points surpassed his previous high of 25 vs. LSU on Feb. 26, 2020, as a Florida Gator… It was Johnson’s fifth straight double-digit scoring game… He has now scored in double figures in 43 career games.
Junior David N’Guessan finished with a near double-double with 8 points on 4-of-6 field goals and 8 rebounds to go along with 2 blocks in 27 minutes.
Senior Desi Sills was strong from the bench, posting 7 points on 3-of-5 field goals and 1-of-1 free throws to go with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 28 minutes.

K-State used a starting lineup of fifth-year senior Markquis Nowell, sophomore Cam Carter, fifth-year senior Keyontae Johnson, junior Nae’Qwan Tomlin and junior David N’Guessan… It marked the fourth time using this lineup.
Nowell made his 26th start at K-State, while Carter, Johnson and Tomlin all made their fifth starts in Wildcat uniforms and N’Guessan his fourth… It was Johnson’s 60^th start in college (other 55 at Florida), the ninth for Carter (other 4 at Mississippi State), fourth by N’Guessan (all at K-State), while Tomlin made his fifth Division I start.

IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT HISTORY

K-State will play in its 87th in-season tournament this week at the Cayman Islands Classic, including its 11th outside the continental United States and the first since going 3-0 and winning the Paradise Jam on Nov. 16-19, 2018, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is the first overall in-season tournament since going 0-2 at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City on Nov. 22-23, 2021.
K-State has a 179-114 overall record in playing in 87 in-season tournaments with 16 tournament titles to its credit. The team last won a title at the 2018 Paradise Jam, defeating Eastern Kentucky, Penn and Missouri. In fact, the last 2 titles have come at tournaments outside the continental U.S., in 2011 Diamond Head Classic (Hawai’i) and 2018 Paradise Jam (U.S.V.I.).
The Wildcats have played in 10 other tournaments outside the continental U.S., starting with the 1985 Maui Invitational. Others include the 1989 Great Alaska Shootout (runner-up), 1993 Hawai’i Nike Festival (champion), 2011 Diamond Head Classic (champion), Maui Invitational (1998 and 2014), Paradise Jam (2002 and 2018) and Puerto Rico Tip-Off (2009 and 2013).

IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Overall: 179-114/87th Appearance

In-Season Tournament Titles: 16

Last In-Season Tournament Title: 2018 Paradise Jam (3-0)

At Cayman Islands Classic: 2-0/First Appearance

LSU: First meeting

LSU (5-0)

LSU enters Wednesday game with a 5-0 record after home wins over Kansas City, Arkansas State and New Orleans to go along with wins over Illinois State (77-61) and Akron (73-58) at the Cayman Islands Classic.
Transfer Adam Miller and KJ Williams are averaging 17.4 points per game, as Williams is hitting at 53.2 percent clip from the field with a team-best 7.0 rebounds, while Miller is 45.9 percent with a team-best 15 3-point field goals. Justice Hill also averages double figures at 10.8 per game. Hill played at Arkansas with Wildcat seniors Desi Sills and Abayomi Iyiola.
LSU is led by first-year head coach Matt McMahon, who posted a 154-67 record at Murray State. He led the Racers to the NCAA Tournament on 3 occasions, including the round of 32 with a 31-3 record in 2021-22.

SERIES HISTORY